IT'S SEVEN SHARP. TONIGHT ` THOUGHT LEGAL HIGHS WERE A THING OF THE PAST? LEGALS SHOULD NOT BE FOR SALE! THINK AGAIN. I WANT THEM TO SEE THAT IT IS DESTROYING THE PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY. A CREEPY WINK, AND THE OLD ARM MOVEMENT. AH, THE MEMORIES. BUT DO AUCKLANDERS REALLY WANT SANTA SAVED? IT IS THE MOST DISGUSTING-LOOKING SANTA YOU'VE EVER SEEN. AND... I GOT TOLD, 'NO,' COS OF MY CRIMINAL HISTORY. ...A STEP BY STEP BY STEP BY STEP PROCESS FOR TURNING AROUND A TROUBLED PAST. SO I DECIDED TO, UM, TRY AND CHANGE A FEW PEOPLE'S MINDS. ONE NEWS CAPTIONS BY TOM WILSON AND ALANA CRUIKSHANK. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2014 DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. Lovely to have you with us. Pippa wanted a couple of nights on the show. I've only lived here for 18 years. You grew up in Auckland. The santa thing has been like the end of the world. Did you grow up with him? Were you upset? I said I was okay if they decided he was done. Somebody is making money in scaffolding. I was very surprised. We will talk more about him later. HERE'S WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING TODAY. IT'S BELIEVED THE GUNMAN WHO ATTACKED CANADA'S PARLIAMENT BUILDING HAD TIES TO ISLAMIC MILITANTS. SUSPECT MICHAEL ZEHAF-BIBEAU WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY AN ARMED GUARD, BUT NOT BEFORE KILLING ONE OFFICER. FOR A COOL 10 GRAND, YOU COULD HAVE YOUR OWN HOVERBOARD. YEP, STRAIGHT OUT OF 'BACK TO THE FUTURE'. SCIENTISTS HAVE CREATED A WORKING PROTOTYPE OF THE BOARD, BUT IT ONLY WORKS OVER METAL SURFACES. AND REMEMBER YESTERDAY WE TALKED ABOUT RENEE ZELLWEGER'S NEW FACE? WELL, SHE'S RESPONDED TO THE HORROR EXPRESSED BY MANY, SAYING, 'I'M GLAD FOLKS THINK I LOOK DIFFERENT. 'I'M LIVING A DIFFERENT, HAPPY, MORE FULFILLING LIFE, 'AND I'M THRILLED THAT PERHAPS IT SHOWS.' You just think she's not doing the Botox. I think that is a natural face. FROM OUR FILE OF 'THINGS YOU THOUGHT WERE SORTED'. LEGAL HIGHS ` REMEMBER THEM? THEY'RE BANNED, AREN'T THEY? WELL, NO IS THE SIMPLE ANSWER, BUT THAT MIGHT WELL BE THE PROBLEM ` THERE ISN'T A SIMPLE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM. THAT'S SOMETHING COUNCILS HAVE LEARNT THE HARD WAY, AND IT COULD IN FACT BE TOO HARD TO KEEP THEM OFF THE STREETS. REMEMBER THIS? A GUY BOUGHT ABOUT $1600 WORTH RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS HOOKED. I NEEDED ANOTHER HIT. IT IS DESTROYING THE PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY. AH, THE BAD OLD DAYS. IT'S EVIL. ACTUALLY, THEY'RE NOT THAT OLD. I KNOW I'VE BROKEN MY FAMILY'S HEART. THAT WAS THIS YEAR. IF I WOULDN'T GET LOCKED UP FOR IT, I'D GO DOWN TO THAT SHOP AND BURN IT DOWN. LEGALS SHOULD NOT BE FOR SALE! TOWN AFTER TOWN STOOD UP, FOUGHT BACK. PEOPLE CHANT THE GOVERNMENT, FINALLY, CAME TO ITS SENSES. THE PRODUCTS MUST BE OFF THE SHELF. THE NATION BREATHED A COLLECTIVE SIGH OF RELIEF. TOOK A LITTLE WHILE, BUT, YEAH, IT'S AMAZING. BUT THIS WASN'T REALLY A BAN, MORE A TEMPORARY REPRIEVE. THESE CURRENT PRODUCTS WILL BE REMOVED AND HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME TESTING PROCESS AS ALL OF THE OTHERS. YEAH. THESE THINGS? THAT DID THIS? PSYCHOSES, HALLUCINATIONS, SEIZURES. THEY'RE COMING BACK. DON'T WANT THAT TERRIBLE STUFF. AND RIGHT NOW, THE FRONT LINE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THEM IS HERE. COUNCILS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE WORKING OUT WHERE AND HOW THEY WILL BE SOLD. IT WILL WORK, BUT IT REQUIRES THE COOPERATION OF COUNCILS TO MAKE IT WORK. BUT HERE'S THE THING ` WE WERE HANDED A PROBLEM THAT THE GOVERNMENT DIDN'T WANT TO SOLVE. IT'S HARD TO FIGHT AGAINST THESE WHEN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE FIGHTING AMONGST THEMSELVES. SO THE WAY COUNCILS WILL CONTROL THINGS IS THROUGH LOCAL APPROVED PRODUCT POLICIES, OR LAPPs. BUT ONE MAYOR'S CALLED THE WHOLE PROCESS A FIASCO. I SPOKE TO CENTRAL OTAGO'S TONY LEPPER A SHORT TIME AGO. TONY, HOW MUCH TIME AND ENERGY HAVE YOUR COUNCIL AND COUNCILS LIKE YOURS PUT INTO ALL THIS? MIKE, WE STARTED PROBABLY IN MARCH TO PUT OUR LAPP IN PROGRESS. I'VE JUST HAD A QUICK ADD UP ` ABOUT $20,000 WORTH OF STAFF TIME, BUT A LOT OF ENERGY FROM MY COMMUNITY AND MYSELF AS WELL. OK. DID YOU GO INTO THIS THINKING IT WOULD WORK, OR DID YOU GO INTO THIS THINKING IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME, AND YOU'RE NOW SAYING, 'SEE, TOLD YA'? UM, WE WENT IN THERE PROBABLY THINKING IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME. AND WE PROBABLY TREATED IT AS` WITH AS LESS ENERGY AS WE POSSIBLY COULD DO. COS WE HAD OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS. THE PUBLIC TOLD US TO GO AWAY AND DO IT. AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE A WASTE OF TIME AT THE END OF THE PROCESS, TO ME. SEE, PETER DUNNE SAID, 'LOOK, YOU GUYS CAME TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE.' NOT NECESSARILY YOU, BUT HE GOT THE IMPRESSION YOU GUYS CAME TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE, SAID, 'WE WANNA OWN IT. 'WE WANNA RUN IT OURSELVES. GIVE US THE POWER TO DO SO,' AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID. WELL, I'VE GOT NO IDEA WHERE PETER GETS THAT FROM, BECAUSE I'M READING A SUBMISSION IN FRONT OF ME FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT NZ WHICH CONFIRMS WHAT MY COUNCIL SAID ` THIS LEGISLATION CAME IN UNDER THE RADAR. WE WEREN'T TOLD ABOUT IT EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ONE OF THE AGENCIES THAT HAD TO DEAL WITH IT, AND WE MADE SUBMISSIONS ON THE REGULATIONS, BUT THE SUBMISSION WAS IN PLACE AND THEY SAID THEY'D NEVER GET RID OF IT. IS PART OF THE PROBLEM` IF YOU WANT A CENTRAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSE, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS YOU WANTED THIS BANNED. YOU SAID YOU WANTED CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO SAY, 'BAN THIS STUFF,' BUT THE PROBLEM IS ` DUNNE'S ARGUED THIS ALL ALONG ` YOU JUST CAN'T BAN SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T QUANTIFY. NO, BUT WE ALSO SAID, MIKE, THAT WE'D RATHER THEY TOOK THIS PROBLEM OVER AND DEAL WITH IT ON A NATIONAL BASIS, NOT ON AN AD-HOC BASIS, AROUND ALL OF NZ. THE COST FROM OUR COUNCIL HAS TO BE MULTIPLIED 60 TIMES BY ALL THE OTHER COUNCILS. AND THEN ALL THESE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE CHIPPED IN AND SUBMITTED ` ALL THOSE WASTED MAN-HOURS. BUT YOU WOULD CONCEDE, THOUGH` SAY DUNNE HAD SAID, 'ALL RIGHT, I'LL DO IT MYSELF.' HE CAN'T DO IT HIMSELF. YOU CAN'T BAN STUFF YOU CAN'T BAN, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND THEN YOU'D BE SAYING, 'HANG ON, STILL GOT THE PROBLEM.' PETER MADE THAT GREAT SHOW OF VICAR OF DIBLEY, DIDN'T HE? 'NO, NO, NO, YES.' AND THEN HE CHANGED THINGS IN THE END. WELL, NO, NO, NO, YES ` I THINK HE COULD DO SOMETHING MORE. WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY ` THE PEOPLE WHO SELL THIS STUFF THAT YOU KNOW IN YOUR COMMUNITY? WHY ISN'T THAT PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO THEM? WE'VE HAD A GREAT WIN THERE. ONCE PETER DID BAN THE SALE TEMPORARILY, OUR RETAILER'S PACKED UP THE SHOP AND GONE AWAY. SO I'VE GOT THE FEELING NO ONE WILL COME BACK INTO MY PATCH, SO THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD RESULT. SO IT IS SOLVABLE, IN THAT SENSE? YOU JUST DON'T NEED LEGISLATION. YOU PUT A BIT OF COMMUNITY PRESSURE ON, AND YOU CAN DO IT THAT WAY? WELL, IT WASN'T WORKING WHILE IT WAS LEGAL, ALL RIGHT? HE WAS STILL HAPPY ENOUGH TO TAKE THE PRESSURE. BUT NOW THAT IT WAS MADE ILLEGAL, NOW THAT THERE'S GREATER HOOPS TO GO THROUGH, HE'S PACKING UP AND GIVEN UP. SO WHERE ARE WE AT? ARE WE TOWARDS SOLVING THE PROBLEM? WE'RE NO CLOSER TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM? OR DO YOU JUST WANT HIM TO GRAB IT BACK AND DO WITH IT WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO? WELL, ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT WE HAVE NOW GOT OUR LAPP IN PLACE. WE THINK THAT WILL SOLVE IT IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT OF COURSE NOW WE'RE WAITING FOR IT TO BE APPEALED BY SOMEONE. He's a good guy. The councils want all the power until they have all the power. In a perfect world, communities will solve this problem. COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` SANTA'S BEEN SAVED, BUT HOW THRILLED ARE AUCKLANDERS, REALLY? UM, I'D SAY HE LOOKS A BIT WEIRD. YEAH, I THOUGHT IT WAS HORRIBLE. I THOUGHT THAT'S THE CREEPIEST THING EVER. WE LOVE TREES. WE'RE KIDS. WE GROW UP. WE CLIMB TREES AND PLAY WITH MACHINERY. IT'S A REALLY GOOD LIFE. AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT ONE OF THIS COUNTRY'S WEIRDEST SPORTS WELCOME THE 2014 NZ TREE-CLIMBING CHAMPS. Please don't complain about the program. She's point little things we can improve on. NOW, WE SHOULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT SANTA, BECAUSE AUCKLAND WENT INTO A FRENZY WHEN NEWS BROKE THIS MORNING THAT THE SANTA ON WHITCOULLS WOULDN'T BE BACK THIS YEAR. OF COURSE, IT WAS ALL A STORM IN A TEA CUP BECAUSE, THIS AFTERNOON, SOME GOOD OLD CORPORATES CAME TO THE PARTY AND SAVED HIM. NOW, YOU'D THINK THIS NEWS WOULD BE MET WITH CRIES OF JOY, BUT AS DEAN BUTLER FOUND OUT, AUCKLANDERS WEREN'T THAT FOND OF THE BIG GUY IN RED AFTER ALL. THIS LATE-EDITED ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. At the start of the day, Auckland's giant santa was lying in state. Surely, Aucklanders care. Money for Santa. People are busy. I don't think we'll miss that. He looked a bit weird. Bring back santa. I've got about four dollars so far. That's the creepiest thing ever. It's the most disgusting santa you've ever seen. Meanwhile, back in the warehouse, a giant Santa Claus awaits. And waits. We're missionaries. We talk to the people about Jesus Christ. We focus on the better things like Christ. Sorry, boss. Tricky sitution. He's been saved? That's great. We were just talking about that on the news. Sky came to the party. I'll tell you what else ` what about that storage? who was charging for that? There were some good suggestions. That story has made me think that it's nearly Christmas. Two months. THIS NEXT STORY HAS HAD EVERYONE IN THE OFFICE VERY EXCITED TODAY, BECAUSE SOMETHING YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE SEVEN SHARP TEAM IS THAT MOST OF THEM ARE OVERGROWN 8-YEAR-OLDS. TREE-CLIMBING ` GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FUN, EXERCISE, FRESH AIR. GREAT FOR YOU, PROVIDED YOU DON'T FALL OUT OF ONE AND BREAK YOUR ARM. BUT DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A NATIONAL TREE-CLIMBING CHAMPS FOR PEOPLE WHO DO IT FOR A LIVING? HADYN JONES WAS THE ONLY JOURNALIST CHECKING OUT THE SPORT'S HIGH FLYERS IN ACTION. INQUISITIVE MUSIC REMEMBER THAT KID? THE KING OF THE CASTLE? THE ONE WHO ALWAYS CLIMBED THE TALLEST TREE IN THE PARK? WELL, THOSE KIDS DON'T ACTUALLY GROW UP. USED TO BE TOLD TO GO OUT AND CLIMB TREES ON A WINDY DAY AND STOP BUGGING MUM. THEY BECOME ABORISTS, WHO ONCE A YEAR GATHER TO DECIDE WHO'S THE BEST TREE-CLIMBER IN NZ. WE LOVE TREES. WE'RE KIDS. WE GROW UP, WE CLIMB TREES AND PLAY WITH MACHINERY. IT'S A REALLY GOOD LIFE. WELCOME TO THE 2014 NZ TREE-CLIMBING CHAMPS. THIS IS EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE. WE ARE THE ONLY BROADCASTER HERE. WE'RE THE ONLY MEDIA HERE. IT'S A SPORT. IT'S ODD. SHE'S RIGHT. TREE-CLIMBING IS A SPORT. IT HAS RULES AND ATHLETES, WINNERS, LOSERS AND BEER-SWILLING FANS. DUNEDIN BOY. UH, THE FIELD THAT WE'RE IN CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, SO IT ATTRACTS AN INTERESTING TYPE OF PERSON. WE'RE ALMOST HIPPIES. IT USED TO BE EVERY SECOND PERSON HAD DREADLOCKS. TREE-CLIMBING HAS FIVE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES. THE FOOTLOCK; MY FAVOURITE ` THE SPEED CLIMB; THE WORK CLIMB ` LOTS OF LEAPING HERE; THE AERIAL RESCUE; AND THROW-LINING, WHICH LOOKED A LITTLE DULL, SO I DIDN'T BOTHER FILMING IT. IT'S AN UNUSUAL VIBE, TREE-CLIMBING. IT'S A COMPETITION, BUT EVERYONE IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF EACH OTHER AND RELAXED. EVERYONE LIKES TO GIVE EACH OTHER A HAND AND CHEER EACH OTHER ON. LIKE ANY COMPETITION, THERE'S GOT TO BE A WINNER AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND MOST OF US ARE PRETTY GOOD FRIENDS HERE. THAT'S SCOTT FORREST, THE RICHIE MCCAW OF TREE-CLIMBING, WORLD CHAMPION TWO TIMES OVER. I DECIDED EARLY ON NO JOKES ABOUT HIS NAME. FUNNY THING IS WE JUST HAPPEN TO BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT TREE-CLIMBING, BUT WHY? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. JUST INSANE NATURAL TALENT WOULD BE ONE. WE GET STUCK IN WHEN WE HAVE TO AND GIVE EVERYTHING A GOOD GO IF WE CAN. LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, NICOLA WARD-ALLEN IS ABOUT TO SHOW US HOW IT'S DONE. THE VALERIE ADAMS OF TREE-CLIMBING IS NICKY WARD-ALLEN, NICKY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST WOMAN TO FINISH THE MEN'S COURSE IN LAST YEAR'S WORLD FINAL. WHEN I WON LAST YEAR, WHEN THEY CALLED OUT MY NAME, IT FELT LIKE A DREAM. IT FELT UNREAL. 10 YEARS OF TRAINING, AND IT HAD FINALLY HAPPENED. LIKE ANY HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPORT, IT'S OFTEN A GAME OF INCHES. NICKY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST WOMAN TO FINISH THE MEN'S COURSE IN LAST YEAR'S WORLD FINAL. I HAD DONE FOUR STATIONS. THE OTHER WOMAN HAD ONLY DONE THREE, BUT ON THE WAY BACK IN TO LAND, I BROKE A BRANCH AND GOT DISQUALIFIED. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A NICE WAY TO PROBABLY RETIRE. TREE-CLIMBING IS ONE OF THE FEW SPORTS THAT HAS LITTLE INTEREST IN TELEVISION COVERAGE OR COMMERCIALISM. WE'RE ALL FRIENDS HERE WORLDWIDE, AND THAT MAKES IT A REALLY FUN EVENT TO BE A PART OF. SO, REALLY, THE COMMERCIALISATION, I THINK, IS SOMETHING WE WOULD LOOK TO AVOID. NICKY WARD-ALLEN DOESN'T NECESSARILY WANT A BIG ENDORSEMENT DEAL, JUST SOME COMPANY. I THINK I WOULD LIKE IT IF THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE I COULD TRAIN WITH. IT'S VERY HARD TO IMPROVE WHEN IT'S ONLY YOU GOING OUT AND PRACTISING. SO IF YOU LOVE CLIMBING TREES, GIVE THIS A GO. GO AND GET IT! SPECTATORS, BRING A NECK BRACE. YOU DO GET A SORE NECK FOR SOME OF THESE EVENTS. We had a fascinating discussion this afternoon about this. First of all, I thought that sport would have been open to alot of interpretation what was your question? I asked Hayden if he climbed. He said he was wearing chaps. He was wearing chinos. He was concerned he would split them. That is an amazing arobic workout. NEXT ON SEVEN SHARP ` PLENTY OF PEOPLE WALK NZ, RIGHT? WELL NOT FOR THE REASONS THIS GUY IS. SO YOU GUYS WILL TAKE A DIFFERENT LOOK AT ME. BUT CRAIG'S ROAD TO REDEMPTION'S COME WITH ITS COSTS. (SNIFFS) OH! (CHUCKLES) CRAIG HOFFMAN IS ON A MISSION. A MISSION TO PERSUADE THE NZ ARMY TO GIVE HIM A SECOND CHANCE. TO DO THAT, HE'S WALKING THE LENGTH OF THE COUNTRY. SO FAR HE'S DONE ALMOST 1900 KS. TIM WILSON WENT TO CHECK HIS FEET. A MAN, A DOG AND A ROAD. I'M WALKING NZ VIA THE COASTLINE; AS MUCH OF THE COASTLINE AS I POSSIBLY CAN. ONLY, THIS INLAND ROAD, HOPEFULLY, LEADS TO REDEMPTION. FOR CRAIG HOFFMAN, HERE'S WHAT REDEMPTION LOOKS LIKE. COS I WANTED TO JOIN THE ARMY, AND I GOT TOLD NO BECAUSE OF MY CRIMINAL HISTORY. SO I DECIDED TO TRY CHANGE A FEW PEOPLE'S MINDS. SOME WALK TOWARDS SOMETHING. OTHERS WALK FROM IT. SIRENS WAIL I GOT THREE DICS AND A MINOR ASSAULT. THING ABOUT ANY ROAD TO REDEMPTION ` IT MUST HAVE A TOLL. BLISTER THERE. BLISTER THERE. BLOOD BLISTER THERE. (SNIFFS) OH! (CHUCKLES) THAT IS RIPE. THAT IS RIPE. YEAH. THAT WAS A BIG BLISTER IN THERE. THIS ONE POPPED JUST YESTERDAY. TWO PAIRS OF SHOES, THREE TENTS, SO FAR ALMOST 1900KM. THAT'S OVER 2.5 MILLION STEPS. THERE'S NO TOENAIL ON THERE, BRO. OH YEAH. YEAH. I'VE LOST TWO TONENAILS. WATCH THE BEARD ` FROM BOY TO MAN. CRAIG HAS A MESSAGE FOR THE ARMY. I KNOW I'M NO ANGEL, BUT EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE. I'M WALKING NZ TO TRY AND PROVE MYSELF SO YOU GUYS WILL TAKE A DIFFERENT LOOK AT ME. HE HOPES ARMY WILL CARE. THE CLOUDS DON'T, NOR DO THE PADDOCKS THAT LOOK LIKE CRUSHED VELVET. THE COWS? THEY SORT OF CARE, BUT THEY'RE JUST COWS. FORTUNATELY, HE HAS SANCHO TO SING WITH. BOTH YELP HE'S MY BEST FRIEND, AND HE HAS TO LISTEN TO THE WHOLE LOT. HE HAS TO LISTEN TO ME SING JUST ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND HE KIND OF LOOKS UP TO ME, AND HE'S, LIKE, 'THIS AGAIN?' SO... (CHUCKLES) SO WILL THE ARMY TAKE HIM IN? WILL THE WALKER BE REDEEMED? CRAIG HOFFMAN DOESN'T CARE EITHER, SORT OF. EVEN IF THEY DO SAY NO, I DON'T THINK I'LL HAVE ANY REGRETS ABOUT MY TRIP. LIKE, IT'S BEEN REALLY REALLY AMAZING, THE WALK I'VE DONE. I WALKED THE WALK. (CHUCKLES) That is cool.. I apologise for the feet thing, particularly if you're having dinner. CRAIG IS ALSO HOPING TO RAISE A BIT OF CASH AS WELL, WHICH WILL ALL GO TO THE COASTGUARD. IF YOU WANT TO DONATE, THE LINK'S ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. I might say that tomorrow we are talking to a bloke who ran across America. Tonight he is ending in Los Angeles. He is 60 years old. He's going to break the record. Tomorrow night. A SLIGHTLY DISTURBING STORY NOW ABOUT A WOMAN IN CHINA WHO BROKE UP WITH HER BOYFRIEND AND DECIDED TO FIND SOLACE IN KFC. NOTHING NEW THERE ` I'M SURE SHE'S NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO LOOK FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE AT THE BOTTOM OF A BUCKET OF FRIED CHICKEN. WHAT WAS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS STORY WAS THAT THE WOMAN ENDED UP LIVING IN HER LOCAL BRANCH OF KFC FOR A WEEK. NOW, ADMITTEDLY, THAT IS KIND OF FUNNY. BUT HOW ON EARTH DID NO ONE WORKING THERE NOTICE THAT ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS HAD MOVED IN? IS THE WORLD BECOMING SUCH A BIG AND IMPERSONAL PLACE THAT WE CHOOSE NOT TO SEE WHAT I ASSUME IS SOME PRETTY OBVIOUS SIGNS THAT SOMETHING IS NOT QUITE RIGHT HERE? I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO INTERFERE, BUT MAYBE IT'S TIME TO GET OVER THAT AND NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK 'IS EVERYTHING OK HERE?' HERE'S WHERE I AM AT WITH POWER. I LIKE IT. THAT WHOLE THING ABOUT TURNING LIGHTS ON, HEATING YOUR HOUSE, BOILING VEGETABLES, KEEPING MY BEER COLD. I FIND ALL OF THAT CONVENIENT. FURTHER, I'VE BECOME USED TO IT, GIVEN POWER HAS BEEN AROUND A WHILE NOW. THAT'S WHY WE WERE ALL IN SHOCK WHEN THE POWER WENT OFF IN AUCKLAND A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK, AND IT ALL SEEMED A BIT RUDIMENTARY AND THIRD WORLD. CLEARLY, WE HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THE SITUATION. THIS HAS BEEN CLARIFIED FOR US BY MR MICHAEL STIASNY, WHO IS THE VECTOR CHAIRMAN. AT THEIR AGM YESTERDAY, HE EXPLAINED THAT POWER CUTS ARE IN FACT PART OF LIFE AND WE NEED TO GET USED TO IT. NOW, I KNOW YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS THE 21ST CENTURY AND WE ARE A 1ST WORLD COUNTRY AND WE HAVE A ROCK STAR ECONOMY. MORE FOOL YOU. IT IS IN FACT MORE LIKE 1917, AND WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL WERE NOT BURNING PARAFFIN OIL. SO IF YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO WATCH THIS BROADCAST UNINTERRUPTED TONIGHT, YOU'VE BEEN LUCKY. SO I WISH YOU A PLEASANT EVENING IN FRONT OF YOUR FIRE, WITH YOUR CANDLE, UNDER YOUR BLANKET. AND WE CAN ALL BE GRATEFUL TO MR STIASNY FOR PUTTING US RIGHT. SEVEN SHARP CAPTIONS BY JUNE YEOW AND JOHN LING. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2014